Theatre and Culture from Scotland, starring The List's Theatre Editor, his performance persona and occasional guest stars. Experimental writings, cod-academic critiques and all his opinions, stolen or original.

Wednesday, 18 November 2015

Critique the Critic

It's inevitable that a critic who has read a few chapters of Nietzsche will defend his patent lack of consistency by rejecting systematic opinions as a tyranny or something. However, some of the contradictions inherent in Vile's approach are becoming too evident.

How to play

Vile's contradictions have been divided into three categories.

Anti-essentialist essentialism

On the one hand, as a post-modernism, GKV rejects the idea that any thing has an essential identity. 'Existential proceeds essence,' he slurs, wearing that beret he got on a day trip to Calais. However, he also believes in ontology - that is, things have a way of being, and it is this being that defines its form, expression and even quality.

Can you spot any articles where this unresolved dialectic is obvious?

Freedom of Speech Feminist

Vile is in sympathy with strands of the feminist agenda - he calls himself a feminist and thinks Tropes versus Women is generally a good watch. But he also champions freedom of speech, to the extent of refusing 'no platforming' and secretly reading MRA blog posts. He says he does it for the laughs, or maybe to appreciate both sides of the conversation.

Identify the articles where Vile's privilege comes through, or he polices other people's language, or perhaps that time he defended Jim Davidson.

Sell Out Anarchist

This ought to be fun. He waves the old red and black flag about, but likes to say he uses a dialectical process that does relate to Marxist strategies. Then he'll justify some activity on purely capitalist grounds.

Absurd opinions, extended reviews, random press releases from The Arts, half baked ideas, unsuccessful experiments with the format of criticism. Brought to you by the host of The Vile Arts Radio Hour and former Theatre Editor of The Skinny, now working with The List